Sorry for the low quality pics, I was only allowed to use my phone as I didn't want to get my mate into trouble - no cameras allowed, only sneaky mobile snaps!
The photo's were uploaded straight to Photobucket from my phone so are still in a large resolution so I'll link to them instead of embedding them here, I'll give some description where necessary
Everything is on a massive scale!
There are no small nuts and bolts, they're all as big as your hand or bigger
These pics do not do the power station any justice at all!
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_133438.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_133429.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_133129.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_132148.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131906.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131902.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131859.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131429.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131424.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131411.jpgthe last 2 are some old Impellers from the Low Power (iirc) Turbines being refurbished
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131022.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_130803.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_131011.jpgLooking straight up at the 630ft tower that green peace love so much
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_130936.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_125437-1.jpgYou can just about see the top of Unit 3's Low Power Turbines there circled in red, the Intermediate Turbine in blue, you can't see the High Power turbine unfortunately
All these babies need to be kept going at 2rpm when it's powered down so they don't lock up and kept lubed with the finest quality oil you'll find! Should have got a pic of the HUGE dip stick they use
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_125415.jpgHere you can see the 3 LP turbines and the IP turbine at the bottom.
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_125204.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_125037.jpgDid we take heed of this?
did we f@ck
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_124808.jpgThis is the cheapest, nastiest coal and you wouldn't want to use it on your BBQ! It's ground up into powder and has the consistency of quicksand! Anyone that falls in the bunkers has to just yell, be as still as possible and wait for a rope to get out. It may not look like a lot but the empty bunkers are much larger and deeper than you may think! Unfortunately it's very dark and not lit very well in the bunkers
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_124641.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_124516.jpgSome of the cooling pipes, you wouldn't want to touch them!
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_124506.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_124144.jpgWe couldn't get on top of that roof for H&S reasons so had to stand on a rail and take this one, the coal pile looks small there...
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_124140.jpgYou can see "Site B" which is the gas site being the two rows of buildings parallel to each other, where my mate is hoping to move to after the coal side is closed in the next few years, he's studying for the gas qualifications and I hope he does get in over there.
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_123942.jpg140+ft drop down from here and we weren't at the highest point.
http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_123933.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj183/jayton82/IMG_20110723_123842.jpgThe power station was on a day 'off'
I've got some other pics on my phone that I can't see on photobucket so will try get them uploaded soon.
The most my friend has seen the station make in a day was just over £1m, it's usually a few hundred thousand but the rates were in their favour and they had it working at maximum capacity, it all depends on the current market rate they buy and sell at which changes changes more often than your own rate you pay them, often daily or multiple times a day.
I'll give it a year or so and see if I can get another tour to take pics of things I should have and didn't think to/couldn't at the time.
